MUSA®
Product Overview
A natural IGF-1 enhancer derived from two herbal extracts, MUSA® possesses anabolic properties that will appeal to athletes on the lookout for that edge in building lean body mass and boosting performance.
What is IGF-1?
IGF-1, or insulin-like growth factor 1, is sometimes referred to as somatomedin C or sulfation factor. A peptide hormone produced in the liver under the influence of growth hormones, IGF-1 is structurally similar to the insulin hormone. IGF-1 is best known for its anabolic effects on growth during childhood, but it remains active well into adulthood.
IGF-1 and its synthetic analogues have long had therapeutic medical applications in the medical field. During the 1990s, researchers began to study the benefits of IGF-1 supplementation, seeking to improve muscle hypertrophy, tissue repair, and recovery time.
Why use IGF-1?
IGF-1 helps to:
- Build muscle and increase strength
- Support muscle recovery and a healthy immune system
- Reduce body fat
- Promote cell growth and reproduction
IGF-1 inhibits cell death, and elderly men with higher levels of IGF-1 appear to have greater life expectancy and reduced cardiovascular risk, according to a new study accepted for publication in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism.
What's Novel about MUSA®?
MUSA® is derived from Cynanchum wilfordii and Phlomis umbrosa, extracted with hot water and supplemented with α-amylase. Cynanchum wilfordii contains saponin, and Phlomis umbrosa contains iridoid, compounds with therapeutic potential.
α-amylase is an enzyme that aids in the digestion of starches and carbohydrates. It breaks down large, insoluble starch molecules into soluble starches, which:
- Produces successively smaller starches and, ultimately, maltose
- Promotes glycoside absorption in the small intestine
- Provides a higher yield of glycosides (such as saponin and iridoid)
C. wilfordii and P. umbrosa root extracts treated with α-amylase showed 66% and 50% higher amounts of glycoside, respectively and significantly, than extracts not treated with α-amylase. Therefore, treatment with α-amylase is shown to be an important step in the extraction process.